Yes, believe it or not, Josh and Anna Duggar have been married for an entire decade.
And few marriages have survived quite as many challenges as this one.
Obviously, the Josh Duggar sex scandals presented the most significant threat to the relationship, but it’s easy to forget about the million ways that Josh has tested his wife’s loyalty over the years.
So it’s no great surprise that some Duggar fans weren’t in the most celebratory mood when the family announced Josh and Anna’s milestone this week …
Happier Times
Josh is the oldest of Jim Bob and Michelle’s offspring, and thus, he was the first to tie the knot in one of the lavish, massively-attended ceremonies the family has since become known for.
The Tradition Continues
(Getty) Josh and Anna quickly got about the business of starting a family. No surprise there, as Duggars are taught from a young age that their primary reasons for being are praying and procreating.
Carrying the Torch
Josh and Anna went on to have five children. At one point, it looked as though they would give his parents a run for their money in the massive, ultra-conservative, fundamentalist family department.
The Insider
Josh even relocated his family to Washington, D.C., where he briefly worked as a high-powered lobbyist and laid the foundations for what many assumed would be a highly successful political career.
Like Father, Like Son
(Photo Credit: TLC) Indeed, it looked as though the eldest son of Jim Bob and Michelle was doing everything in his ability to build upon the family dynasty and make his parents proud.
Torn Apart By Scandal
(TLC) In 2015, however, the world learned that Josh had molested five young girls, four of whom were his sisters. It was the beginning of a series of shocking scandals for reality TV’s most squeaky-clean family.
The Downward Spiral
Shortly thereafter, it was revealed that Josh had used an account on the dating website Ashley Madison to try and locate willing partners with whom he could cheat on his wife.
A Family Affair
Fans were outraged by news that Michelle and Jim Bob had helped Josh avoid prosecution for his crimes, and there was a time when it looked as though the Duggar media empire would soon come crashing down.
The Rebuilding Effort
Only after the Duggars faced increased scrutiny and tremendous public pressure (they were briefly fired from their home network, TLC) was any action taken to try and put a stop to Josh’s predatory ways.
A “Faith-Based” Solution
Fans were encouraged by news that Josh would seek treatment for a sex addiction, but most became skeptical upon learning that he would do so in a controversial facility with roots in religion, not science.
Persona Non Grata
After Josh’s release, the Duggars assured viewers that he would not appear in their new TLC series, and fans noted that he seemed to disappear from the family’s official social media accounts.
Re-Introduced
Gradually, however, the Duggars began to post photos of Josh and his family on Facebook, and the reaction from fans was decidedly mixed.
A Decade Strong
The Duggars offered their congratulations to Josh and Anna in a Facebook post, and some folks were quick to cry foul.
The Real Reason?
Many suggested that Anna’s reasons for staying with Josh had little or nothing to do with her love for her philandering husband.
To the Nay-Sayers
The comments section on the Duggars’ post eventually deteriorated into a bitter argument between two deeply-entrenched factions.
The Supporters
The crowd seemed pretty evenly split, but in the end, Duggar devotees proved the loudest, as is usually the case.
Josh Himself
As for Josh, he’s remained mum on the issue thus far — not that he has much choice in the matter.
Still on the Outs
(TLC) While the Duggars have gone to great lengths to help rebuild Josh’s public image, they’ve also distanced themselves from the father of fiver in several important ways.
A Life Apart
Josh and his family live in a separate town. He no longer works for the family business, and he even attends a separate church. Sounds like even the Duggars aren’t prepared to fully forgive Josh.